Album Review: The Decemberists Loosen Up on 'What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World' — billboard.com

On "The Singer Addresses His Audience," the opening track to The Decemberists' seventh LP What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World, when singer-guitarist Colin Meloy sings, "We had to change some," it makes sense. The Portland, Ore., quintet has previously made a point of adhering to particular styles for entire albums -- prog-rock on 2009's The Hazards of Love, Americana on 2011's The King Is Dead -- but the band's latest feels unencumbered by showy pantomime, finally loosening up and skewing more organic rock.

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